2012 Did Anything Change For You?
[NOTE:I wrote this several weeks ago but got smacked down by the flu (no, I did not have a flu shot). Kind of like the way the Patriots were handled by the Ravens on Sunday, so I thought I would publish now:]
The year is coming to an end, now what do I do? The logs are on the fire and the heat works, though the lights are out the region is recovering slowly from Sandy, Sandy Hook, and last year, Irene. These years pass so quickly and things change whether we want it to or not, so I wonder why it is so hard to make changes in a business. If you are in business or talk to entrepreneurs in business you may understand what I am saying.
We have changed the way we do business because clients know more, are much tougher in scrutinizing legal services and quite frankly they are still hesitant to engage a lawyer unless it is absolutely necessary.
So how does a law firm change its business model and why should you look at them differently?
The answer is easy and not so easy.
Do I Have to Do It
It is easy when you have to do something. That is, you cannot fail because it is time to make the change. There is no need to deliberate, it is something you just know — it is in your gut. You say things like I can’t do this anymore…maybe you heard that when your husband or wife asked for a divorce. Unlike Congress fighting about whether there is such thing as a fiscal cliff who has the authority to change the deadline. No the change we are talking about has to occur– You have been sued, or the government is at your door with a notice that your tanks leaked into a water supply or the IRS needs to be paid or their selling the house on Christmas Eve!
Can Change Wait
In business, no such luck! Changes are happening all the time, things can only change, are they going to change for the better or not will be determined if you are taking control of the change or change is controlling you.
So what about preventing problems before they occur, is that an urgent matter to you? Generally not, as we try to engage our clients on prevention, it is not on the top of their list, it is right next to the estate plan documents and the call from the dentist appointment for a cleaning… all things that can be pushed off get pushed off. So you wait, and when you are visiting a dentist in Aruba to take care of the loose filling that fell out during the cruise!
Proactively Embrace Change
How about changing that, how about crafting a plan that allows you to be proactive! “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans…”(John Lennon) “Yeh Yeh Yeh!” (The Beatles) but I am not talking about planning — which most people equate with nap time or a painful exercise with consultants — I am talking about taking action to embrace the change you know is around the corner…
What is the health of Your Business?
What is the status of your Employment policies?
Are you in compliance with corporate regulations?
The law has changed in all these areas, it always does — every day.
